This project aims to develop a smart communication system for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), especially for stage 3 and stage 4 (late stage). Patients with ALS will be able to communicate with outer environment by means of mental control or eye tracking control, which would increase their life quality. This integrated research project includes experts from different domains and proposes a solution for smart communication system.
A multi-function brain- computer interface (BCI) communication system will be developed by combining a BCI system (subproject 1) and a 3D electro-cap (subproject 3). Then, this system and an eye-controlled device (subject 2) are further integrated to a smart communication system. The outputs of the system are presented with the original voice the ALS patients, which will be achieved by using the voice reconstruction technology (subproject 4) in this project. All the user-interfaces of the BCI and eye tracking systems will be re-deigned by employing human factors engineering to increase the usability of the proposed smart communication system for ALS. Finally, the validity of the system in improving the life quality of ALS will be assessed through clinical study.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
60
We will use the questionnaire "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Supportive Care Needs ,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Specific Quality of Life Instrument-Revised, Beck Depression Inventory and Caregiver Burden Scale.
Cancer Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital
Taipei, Taiwan
RECRUITINGPart 1- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Supportive Care Needs
To comprehensively assess the perceived supportive care needs of patients with ALS.
Time frame: 30mins
Part 2 - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Specific Quality of Life Instrument-Revisedclinical study
We try to understand the validity of the system. This measurement can help us know that our system could be beneficial or not on the quality of life in patient with ALS.
Time frame: one week
Part 2 - Beck Depression Inventoryc
We try to understand the validity of the system. This measurement can help us know that our system could be beneficial or not on the degree of depression of life in patient with ALS.
Time frame: one week
Caregiver Burden Scale
We try to understand the validity of the system. This measurement can help us know that our system could be beneficial or not on the burden in patient's caregiver.
Time frame: one week
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